And so it was, that, while they were there,
the days were accomplished that she should be delivered.
Luke 2:6
Ordinary event, extraordinary description. The King James puts it so beautifully, “the days were accomplished that she should be delivered.” We’ve been looking at the birth we’re celebrating today through a different lens this Advent Season. The lens of the extraordinary in the ordinary. Remember, birth is an ordinary event. The birth of our Savior, the Messiah is an extraordinary ordinary event. But, there’s something else that’s extraordinary that wouldn’t be extraordinary except for the ordinary act of birth:
They are reborn! This is not a physical birth resulting from human passion or plan–
this rebirth comes from God.
John 1:13
Reborn! What? Birth is an ordinary natural event, you can’t re-do birth. What is this thing called rebirth? It sounds extraordinary! Rebirth is not really possible, is it? What are you talking about John?
Jesus replied, “I tell you the truth, unless you are born again,
you cannot see the Kingdom of God.”
“What do you mean?” exclaimed Nicodemus. “How can an old man go back into his mother’s womb and be born again?”
John 3:3-4
Nicodemus asked the question everyone else wanted to but was afraid to. You see, Nicodemus was a Pharisee, a member of the high council, a religious leader among the people. He came to Jesus one night under cover of darkness. It was extraordinary for a Pharisee to seek out Jesus for answers. The people thought maybe Jesus was the Messiah, the Pharisees were sure he wasn’t. Nicodemus was wavering. So he asked — How? Jesus tells him.
Jesus replied, “I assure you,
no one can enter the Kingdom of God without being born of water and the Spirit.
Humans can reproduce only human life, but the Holy Spirit gives birth to spiritual life.”
John 3:5-6
Nicodemus got an extraordinary answer. You don’t enter into the Kingdom of God by being a good person, by following the laws, by regularly making offerings of your tithes. The only way to enter into the Kingdom of God is to be born again. This time born of the water and the Spirit. Not an ordinary physical rebirth, but an extraordinary rebirth. A rebirth consummated by the Living Water and the Spirit of Life. Why do we need to be reborn? Because we are sinful people, every one of us, no exceptions. extraordinarily so. Extraordinary sinfulness requires extraordinary, amazing grace. Grace that can only come from the Living Water and the Spirit of Life. Extraordinary, abounding grace that can only come from our rebirth.
So, have you been born again, have you experienced rebirth? Sounds like an old-fashioned, holy roller kind of question, doesn’t it? It does sound extraordinary. Jesus makes it very clear to us, no hidden meanings or messages – no one can enter the Kingdom of God without being born again.
Wednesday
Read Luke Chapter 2. Do you see this wonderful thing that has happened? Spend time today praising God for the extraordinary Light He brought into the world through an ordinary birth. Hark! The herald angels sing Glory to the Newborn King!
Thursday
Are the days accomplished for your rebirth? Will you enter into the Kingdom of God? Are you born again? Jesus is always true to His Word, and He said no one can enter the Kingdom of God without being born again. We will explore these questions through our study this week because these are life or death questions that must be answered.
Friday
Read John Chapter 3. Circle every reference to rebirth in these verses. Think about Nicodemus. Nicodemus was a Pharisee, and the Pharisees believed that salvation came from extraordinary obedience to the law, not extraordinary grace from God. Jesus said that’s not truth. The only way Nicodemus could be a part of the Kingdom of God was to be born again. That’s truth. That message is the same for us.
Saturday
Read John 14:1-7. The Word tells us clearly there’s only one path to the Kingdom of God. What is that path?
Read Acts 13:38-39. What did Jesus do that the Jewish law taught by the Pharisees could never do?
Sunday
Spend time on this Sabbath praising God for the extraordinary in the ordinary, for the birth of our Savior, the Messiah, by whose extraordinary mercy and grace forgives us of our sins.
Monday
Read Ephesians 1:9-14. The manger is the center of the nativity. Christ is the center of God’s plan. What is God’s plan? What is the Good News? What happens to us when we believe the truth? How do we know that God will give us everything he has promised? What is our guarantee?
Tuesday
Read 2 Corinthians 1:22. Read Ephesians 4:30. God promised extraordinary grace for our extraordinary sinfulness, salvation through His Son, Jesus. What is the guarantee of that promise? Knowing we carry that promise in our hearts, does that change the way we live? Should that change the way we live? Do we live like we’re born again?